


Gilded Cage

by Faerie_Queene



Category: ARMSTRONG Kelley - Works, Women of the Otherworld - Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-02-09 21:05:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1997784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faerie_Queene/pseuds/Faerie_Queene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after 13 and Brazen. It will develop over the chapters in a way even unknown to me at this moment. It will include many characters that originate out of the magnificent books of Kelley Armstrong and have a twist and characters of my own making.<br/>Who knows maybe Clayton has a reason why he 'forgot' his real family and maybe they're closer than he thinks...<br/>What about Malcolm? Where did he stay all those years. <br/>And how much influence can a woman really have in the supernatural world?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dark times ahead

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a long time since I've written anything any constructive criticisms are welcome. Please remember that this is a first chapter and the story still has to develop.  
> I chose explicitly not to use my characters names in the first chapter just to leave a bit of mystery for the next chapters where I shall reveal them. I hope you enjoyed reading this and please help me improve my writing skills because they have become rusty, if not extremely.

Hot steam was filling the air in the marble bathroom. Over the side of the lion paw porcelain bathtub her long hair was floating like a golden waterfall. The musical symphony of Dvorak echoed around the room whilst she moved her slender white foot from below the foam bed in a dreamlike state on the tempo of the music. After a long day she was enjoying a rare moment of peace, something that was mostly unthinkable for a woman in her position and background. Even now she couldn’t stop thinking about her responsibilities, the one thing that was supposed to be her older brothers’ problems. Unfortunately he died.  
She grew up in a world dominated by men, powerful men that knew no mercy. Her late father had been a ruthless, merciless strict man that drilled his children like soldiers. He was well known in the supernatural world and feared by most. Her mother had made up for the parts that her father lacked. She was able to love her children deeply and show them so but just like her husband she was a ruthless woman towards her enemies and a fearless lioness when it came to protecting her children.

  
Both her parents had been geniuses, both PHD’s and both well respected in the academic world. It had only been normal for them to marry and reproduce. It sounds horrible but it was the way it always went in their families. Two ancient bloodlines joined into the perfect offspring. She had been their only daughter, which was normal. It was known that only one daughter could be born out of a sorceress and a sorcerer and she had been that one. Her mother had been an exception; she had been part of an identical set of twin sisters. Well her family was a complicated, messed up piece of shit. Sometimes she wished she had been the one who disappeared instead of her little brother, just to be away of responsibilities and expectations. The Ancien Régime had ended many years ago for the human world and it felt like it still existed in the supernatural world.

  
She closed her eyes to enjoy the music and explore her other senses. She heard the soft creak of the door but ignored it. The nearly noiseless footsteps echoed in her ears, still she acted as if she didn’t hear it. Her perfect lonely moment would come to an end. One corner of her full lips drew up in a half smile.  
“He’s been sighted” A warm voice with a strong southern accent sounded through the bathroom. She opened her eyes and looked straight into a pair of blue eyes. He sat on the side of the bath like a classic marble statue. His dark blonde curls were starting to stick around his face. A look that came straight out of a magazine, a look that he would love to swap for any other look in this world.  
“Any other news?” She asked while she sat up pulling her legs towards her bosom. She watched him starting to move and pulling of his clothes one by one. “They’re looking for him.” Was the first thing he said after pulling of his shirt.  
“Obviously they will not let it go.” She gazed towards the distant window giving her a view over their Louisiana estate grounds.  
“They won’t.” His muscular body glided into the bath opposite of hers. The bath was big enough for the both of them, in order not to touch each other. They both knew they were in perfect shape for their age and looked as if they both came straight from a runway. But to them it didn’t matter, they had different problems to deal with and dealt with in their lives.

  
“What shall we do?” She asked in a bored way crooking her head to the right. A smile came from the man opposite her. He was staring straight into her bright green eyes. They didn’t need words to understand each other they were connected in ways beyond speech.  
“Find him before them would be a good idea.” He grinned. “But unlike the last time he escaped we aren’t the only ones who know he’s still alive.”  
“Unfortunately.” She sighed. “But it only makes the chase this time more exciting. Who would have thought that Malcolm Danvers would be the most wanted man on the face of this earth.” She laughed. “And some started believing that being a married man made him soft.” This time the man in the bathtub laughed throwing his head backwards.

  
“Sometimes sister you underestimate yourself.” He grinned, “There is only one person on this earth that could get him on this knees begging for his life and it’s you.” A soft knock came from the door followed by a soft creak.  
“Your Highness, excuse me for interrupting but you have a visitor.” The voice of the old butler said.  
“Who is it?” She demanded swiftly. She heard the butlers heartbeat raise as if he had something to hide.  
“Mr. Cortez is here and said that he had urgent business to discuss with you, Milady.” The butler’s voice trembled as if he felt guilty that the visitor had demanded her presence.

  
“Present Mr. Cortez a glass of our best single malt. I shall finish my bath and receive him in the green sitting room.” She ordered the butler. A quick “Yes ma’am” and the butler retreated to serve the uninvited guest.  
“I think the affair surrounding my husband will have to wait until we know what Cortez wants this time.” She said while gracefully slipping out of the bathtub. These were bad times for her. With Malcolm on the loose the chance of being discovered was getting larger and larger every second. And now Benicio Cortez saw her as a threat after the untimely death of Thomas Nast. It was only normal he saw her as such; Thomas had been the only one to hold her back from throwing Cortez of his throne.


	2. Proposal

Alexandria watched herself in the mirror after she removed the condensation gently with her hand. She gazed at herself as if she saw a stranger and was trying to make contact of at least understand it. “Understanding oneself is the start of wisdom.” Was something her paternal grandmother once told her.  
“Lex, Cortez is waiting and who knows what he’s doing.” Said her twin brother form the porcelain bathtub. She closed her eyes for a swift moment and rubbed them annoyed. After a sigh she walked towards the clothes that had been prepared for her on the bench. It took her only a second to put the blazer, vest and skirt of her three piece black suit followed by her high heeled shoes. All of it had big designer names on them, something she only knew because her chambermaid sometimes mentioned it. She actually didn’t care where her clothes came from, but then again she wasn’t able to pick out her own clothes either. The psychiatrist had called it a form of how PTSD showed with her. She just blocked every time she had to pick out her clothes or buy them.  
“You coming?” She asked while she put her hand on the door handle. She waited for the response that was a mere grunt. It told her that he was coming after her but that it wouldn’t be in the first ten minutes. Twins had this special connection, and for one thing she knew it was true. She and Robert just had to grunt or look at each other to know what the other wanted of meant. So she left the bathroom and moved towards the majestic staircase over the hardwood floor of the corridor. She heard the clicking of her stiletto’s echo through the space and it made her relax. By the time she reached the door towards the green sitting room she was calm and prepared for anything. 

 

The butler opened the door while introducing her “The Most Honourable The Marchioness of Belgave and Countess of Wolfskeep.” When she entered the stocky wide shouldered man stood up and smiled at her. Benicio Cortez was at least ten years her senior but looked nearly thirty years her senior. Something he claimed that she had to have good genes, but thought something else. In the last thirty years he tried to find out but never succeeded to prove that she was in fact a werewolf.  
“Alexandria Victoria you are a delight to look at as always.” He said before he kissed her hand gently.  
“To what do I own the pleasure of your unexpected visit?” She asked while pouring herself a glass of single malt scotch. Benicio sat back down in the antique sofa and started to swirl around his glass. Still he gave no answer until she sat down in her green and gold bergère.  
“I am here on the matter of your former guard.” He paused, “Malcolm Danvers.” Alexandria took a sip of her beautiful golden drink.  
“Yes, what is there to know about him?” She asked simply. His deep brown eyes met her bright green ones.  
“He is murdering since he escaped the compound.” He knew more than he was supposed to know and she didn’t like it, a small layer of ice started to form on the glass around her fingertips. “What tests did you do on him?” his voice was stern.  
“Tests?” She grinned. “Why would I know what my uncle did with his prisoners? Malcolm betrayed me and since that day he was no longer my business. But that is not why you’re here.”  
Benicio laughed and raised his glass. “You have the strange gift of looking straight through me.”  
“For every positive matter there has to be negative matter.” Alexandria answered as if it was a common fact that everyone knew.  
“I am here with an interest in your power within the Nast Corporation.” Benicio began. “Now Thomas is no longer among us I want to have a clear view on what your position will be. Of course within the best interest for your uncles last will.”  
“My position of power has been and will always be the same, Benicio.” Alexandria made a gesture towards the portrait of her parents with Thomas Nast and his wife, her mother’s twin sister. “I am the second child of Fergus McBryce and therefore I became his heir when my older brother died, or better was murdered. With that information it must be very clear to you that I am and stay the CEO of the McBryce Corporation.” She drank half of her small glass and went on when Benicio stayed silent. “The McBryce Cabal and the Nast Cabal have been close due to our family ties and therefore I shall stand in to guide and support my godson Sean as the head of the Nast Cabal.”  
“That answers my question in an unfortunate way. I had hoped that you would back away from the stage instead of being more present.” Benicio’s voice got a little demanding.  
“But my dear friend may I be frank to remind you that unlike you my power is not just located on one continent. In this room I posses the most power worldwide and since my uncle is no longer around I might restore my Cabal’s power to its former glory on your territory.” Alexandria’s eyes sparkled of certainty.  
“Is that a threat my dear?” Benicio stood up.  
“No it’s not a threat querido.” She stood up to face him, “It is a promise.” On her lips formed a smile that only a victor could have. “It was so nice of you to come by, I hope our talk won’t stop you to come again.” She kissed his cheek in a gesture of goodbye. With a swift goodbye Benicio Cortez left her estate in a minor defeat. 

 

She emptied her glass and followed the sound of children’s laughter. She found the children connected to the laughter in the sun room. A small boy with dark curls came running towards her his arms stretched so she could easily lift him up. She lifted him above her head and look straight up into his blue eyes.  
“Mommy.” giggled the little boy. Where Benicio had left anger inside of her the little boy filled it with love and warmth.  
“Henry just finished his lessons for today, ma’am.” Said the elderly teacher who sat nearby. “I hope you will excuse me for now, I have an appointment with Cécilia and Percival.”  
“I hope my children have finished their assigned work.” Alexandria said while she sat Henry on her hip. The old woman left the room with a firm nod.  
“Mammy?” Asked the little boy against his mother’s neck. She walked towards the open French doors and made a soft sound so her son knew he could ask on. “I want to call Jeremy.” He muffled.  
“So you want to call your big brother?” She smiled. “What could my answer possibly be?” The little boy looked sad and pouted to work on his mothers emotional state. “Of course you can.” She placed Henry on a bench and gave him the antique phone that stood nearby. She watched her little boy wait in anticipation every time the phone made a beeping sound.  
“Jeremy Danvers.” Suddenly a voice said on the other side of the line. Henry nearly jumped up out of complete happiness. Alexandria stared at her son with joy while leaning against the open doors.  
“Jeremy!” Screamed the little boy. “It’s me!” She listened how the little boy talked and talked to the man that was his brother although he was his senior by over half a century. In the background over the phone she could hear Jeremy’s girlfriend talk to Henry. Jaime loved Henry almost as much as Alexandria loved her son. Henry had the gift to wind every one around his tiny little finger. As she heard in on the conversation she started to stare into the distant horizon. With Malcolm on the loose she not only had to worry about being discovered as what he had made her but also she had to worry about the safety of her children. If he wanted to take revenge on her he knew how to do it and he would do it without hesitation.


	3. Alexandria

Lex

The city was coming to life underneath her, the hot steam from her teacup rose from the desk where it stood. She never liked the busyness of traffic, it made her feel small and weak. A feeling she hoped to forget. The day hadn’t even started before the first horrific news arrived from the office. Overblown news, from an overblown secretary. The news contained a threat from the Cortez Corporation to take over a part of her firm. Fun aspect of the news was that the threat had been over ten years old and she had overruled it. On the contrary, she had taken small parts of Cortez’ firm over without him even noticing. The day he did notice something was wrong was the day it would be to late for him to even change it.  
So this lovely morning she was gazing in the distant over the misty skies of New York City. The secretary had felt sorry after Alexandria had explained that is was an old threat, he felt so sorry that he wanted to resign. She refused that, he may be an annoyingly worried man, but he was a good man. Most importantly he was a man with five young children who lost their mother a few years back while she was on a mission for the Cabal. And that was Alexandria’s weak spot, motherless children. If she had fired the man he would have lost his only income, and his life. For he knew to much of the interior secrets of the McBryce Cabal.  
“Madam, your cousin is here.” Said the weary voice of the secretary over the intercom. She was going to push the button to answer when the door swung open, entering Josef Nast.

“Morning Joe.” She took her cup of tea and leaned against the wall of windows. She had a mean smile on her face, for she knew her cousin hadn’t slept well last night. He rubbed his face gently with his left hand. His stepson had kept him up due to the fact that he was contaminated with the chickenpox form one of her children.  
“Morning Lex, let me guess Paul was wrong again.” His answer was direct in the form of a mumbled laugh from her side. “I keep asking myself why you keep him?”  
“He’s a good classifier and I need someone who can classify my files.” She took a sip. Josef shook his head.  
“Then you should put him in the archives and not behind a desk near your office.” He sighed. “Father told me you could handle everything by yourself and still here I stand to your aid.”  
“No idea why you do that, cousin dear. I’m older than you and according to some professors in the sixties I am way smarter than you. Want some tea?” She grinned at him. He said yes where after she called Paul trough the intercom for tea.

“How’s everything going?” He wasn’t direct but she knew what the subject of his question was. Before she could answer Paul brought Josef’s tea and left again. “Is it true then, what I heard.”  
“Yes.” She replied. “The North American Pack is after him as well.”  
“That’s not what I meant.” Josef shook his head. “You’re avoiding the fact that he’s still alive.”  
“What if he’s the same guy? What if their Clayton is my little brother? Do you really think going up there and saying ‘Hey Puppy, how’s it goin’ is going to change a thing.” Lex turned to face the city view.  
“No, but it could help finding Malcolm.” Josef took a sip of his tea and burned himself. “You should talk to that guy who raised him, Malcolm’s son.” He waited for an answer that didn’t come, and he knew it would never come for it was tormenting her. “It’s the fact that Malcolm knew but never told you, isn’t it. That’s what’s bothering you, ain’t it.”  
“Yes.” She growled. “It’s also the fact that your father kept things from us Joe. It’s the fact that he kept our mothers bonds with the Pack a secret, that he may have kept the fact that my little brother was still alive and that he kept from us that in fact I was no more than a breeding bitch.” She hissed.  
“You’re overreacting Lex. My father never saw you as a breeding bitch.” Josef drank his tea.  
“No, your father may not have seen me that way. But my own mother apparently did.” It was the first time she told her cousin this. He looked shocked.  
“What do you mean?” Josef sat up in his chair.  
“My mother had a deal with Dominic Sorrentino, to wed me to one of his grandsons. Guess who he picked.”  
“Don’t tell me that grandson was Saviero. You have to be kidding me. Lex have you told him.” He stared at her and knew the answer, he knew.  
“That’s the first reason we broke of the engagement all those years ago. Saviero knew then and knows now.” Lex put her arms around herself.  
“You knew then?” Josef looked at her in disbelief.  
“Yes, because Benedict told me. He thought that I wanted to marry Saviero because of that pact. I couldn’t handle that truth and shortly after I lost the baby. Saviero and I kept quarreling and we broke up. The rest is History.”  
“So you married Malcolm as a rebound.” Josef placed his hand over his eyes and leaned backwards.  
“I think I must have loved Malcom in a way. He had his good times as much as he had his bad times. He gave me something no one else was ever able to give me Josef. Comfort.” Her voice grew soft. A small gesture that only her close friends and family were able to see once in a while.  
“Lex after all that he has done to you.” Josef hesitated. “That’s it then. You don’t want him dead. You want him to suffer for what he’s done, but death is out of the question.”  
“He deserves a proper treatment, Joe. He’s a sick man. I’ve told you before, he has a mental illness.” Alexandria’s look went cooler again. “But that fact does not mean that he will not be punished. He will, for all he had done to me and to others. I lost the man he once was purely because he started to refuse his medication. He began to see it as a weakness. His own bloody fault he ended up this far. Therefore, dear cousin, his own bloody fault he was locked up.”  
“What about lunch at twelve? You pick the restaurant.” Josef smiled at her with a worried look in his eyes.  
“Make it eleven at Guillio’s, I’m starving already.” She grinned. Josef stood up and walked to the door.  
“I should do some work, who knows what my new boss will say if I keep babbling with you.”  
“As if Sean will be mad for having a breakfast meeting with me.” She winked.  
“See you at eleven then.” Josef said just before he closed the door. Eleven she thought while peeking at the clock. Another three hours before a good meal, she walked towards her mini fridge and took out a few protein bars. Downside of being a werewolf: the constant hunger, plus side: the fast metabolism.

After lunch at the only restaurant in town where no one minded her eating 4 large portions of spaghetti and a double desert of the day, she went back to work. She didn’t mind the work, she loved it. But there was always that longing to not be in charge for once. Only once not being the one everybody came to with their problems, to not be the one everybody looked up to, just one day to be free. Saviero made sure she had those, or at least days that looked like off days. She never really had an off day. She had bodyguards following her everywhere, half-demons and werewolves alike. And if that wasn’t enough she had ladies-in-waiting. An old habit that unfortunately didn’t stop existing, something her late uncle had taken care of. She had two women that were in service simply to make sure she wore the right clothes, or her bath was warm, or she wouldn’t oversleep. Until fifteen years ago they followed her everywhere, now she only had them around when she was on cabal business. They had gotten other ‘real’ jobs to fill the gaps between their ‘official’ services. Now they were the official housekeepers, her clothes were still put ready by them but only in the United States. Everywhere else she had her brothers and their wives to help her with the clothes issue, even her children pulled out matching sets from her wardrobe. The days no one was around and she was to thick headed to ask for help from the servants were the days you could find her wearing all sorts of things. Mostly non matching stuff or clothes that weren’t mend for those particular occasions.

By six she was on her way home in her Rolls Royce. A small token of appreciation Kristof had called it when he gifted her the keys. It came with a chauffeur, but she replaced that one with one of her bodyguards. Someone she trusted. Now both her half-demon bodyguards were sitting in the front seat. Likely talking, well Gavin would be talking and Ujarak would pretend to be listening while driving. Both of them had grown from troubled childhood into troubled teenage years. Both of them had gotten her attention when they appeared on the Cabal radar. Both of them barely old enough to legally drink or drive, both of them had a one way ticket to the Cabal graveyard. Now they were respected and working for her. She saved them and later on saved more troubled teenage half-demons when she started a foundation especially for them. Some refused because it was still a Cabal funded the foundation, others saw it as an opportunity to a better life. But it all started with those two in the front seat. And now they were part of the family, for their family denied their existence or were dead. Some people actually wondered why she trusted those two with her life. And she kept them wondering.

 

“Welcome home, Ma’am.” The elderly butler said when he opened the door to her Hamptons mansion. This house was as well a present as the car had been. Her uncle had wanted them close, so he bought expensive lands with mansions on it near the coast and restored the houses to its former glory for his sons, nephews and niece. She didn’t complain about the house nor the luxury it brought with it, it was nice to being this close to the sea. And another great part of this place was that it was a secured area with the possibility for some of her children and those of her brothers and cousins to have a place of their own near the family.  
“The cook has prepared your dinner and will serve it on the patio, ma’am.” The butler continued while he walked her through the marble entrance hall. She gave him her coat and smiled at him.  
“You can resign for the evening if you’d like, Jives.” Alexandria understood his short nod. He was going to his chambers but really resigning wasn’t an option in Jives’ head. She left him behind as she made her way towards the patio.

Candles were placed strategically to create a certain mood. The hot august breeze welcomed her as she stepped outside. There was a table set for two, with candles and roses and god knows what. Something you’d typically see in those cheesy romantic comedies just before the inexperienced clearly green boy asks the dull overdramatic wearing-to-much make-up not-a-clue-but-clearly-arranged-everything girl to marry him.  
There at that table was a guy smirking, like a little boy knowing he did something wrong but was proud of it. He took one of the roses of the table and placed it between his teeth.  
“Where did you get this idea from this time?” She asked placing herself on the chair on the opposite side of the table. His looks were dashing as always wavy dark hair and brown eyes that made women all over the world melt. Fifty-five but not looking a day older than thirty, werewolf genes would ruin the plastic surgery business.  
“You don’t like it?” He placed the rose back on the table. “I should have been naked, shouldn’t I?” She started laughing.  
“I must say that sounds reasonably good, but unfortunately we have servants to think about. And face it at your age gravity must have kicked in.” He kicked her under the table. “Hey!”  
“May I remind you which day we are, missy.” He took a sip of the champagne.  
“It’s Wednesday, for a start. And it’s been a long Wednesday for that matter.”  
“Nobody told you to leave before dark and return after dark, so don’t complain. We officially made Wednesday our date night.” He threw his head back as a sigh of made-up disappointment.  
“I thought that Friday was official date night.” She took a sip of the soft golden bubbling beverage.  
“Okay, you caught me.” He grinned. She knew for one thing that he was enjoying his little scam. “And what is wrong with a little spontaneity?”  
“Fine, you win. But I swear if tomorrow is date night again, I’ll keelhaul you.” His warm laugh filled the nightly skies with joy.  
“So how was your day?” She asked removing her silver cover dome from her plate. The scent of fresh ingredients overwhelmed her. The beautifully roasted pieces of duck, turkey, pigeon, quail and pheasant lay on a rich bed of matching vegetables. The quantity of her meal was always around the same size, her cook knew of her habits and made sure she didn’t starve. Later on she knew there would be a dessert for both of them that could feed a group of schoolchildren with ease.  
“I have no idea, really. Woke up without you and then worked on a paper and before I knew it was time for diner. And here I am.” He grinned. “O, did I tell I was quiet in the mood this morning.” She shook her head with a sigh. They ate in silence, as always there was no time to speak while eating. Dessert followed shortly after, it was a trio of chocolate. A large brownie, three colloured chocolatemousse and some fine French chocolate pastry.  
“Have you called your uncle?” She asked gazing to the dark distant sea horizon with a large Cappuccino in her hands. She leaned back in her chair with her bare feet barley touching the now empty, apart from a tray of cookies, table.  
“No.” Saviero looked pensive. A frown formed. “To be honest I don’t think I will. There’s no need for that, the chance a Pack wolf ends up here is near to zero.”  
“hmm.” He sat up and took a closer look at her. His eyes focused on the thin white line that ran from her just underneath her jaw towards the soft curve of her right breast. He knew how she got that scar, although she never spoke about that. Malcolm had attacked her with a knife first before he set Henry’s crib on fire. He had sedated her and planned to use a knife to cut a few parts away. He never got further then a few cuts that had left scars. But Henry nearly died that day. It was only because Gavin had smelled the smoke coming from the nursery that Henry had grown into the happy little boy he was now. The burn scars would stay a reminder of the madman his biological father was, so were Alexandria’s scars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to get some feedback, so I can work on my eventual errors. Thank you :)


	4. New and old promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked this idea of Malcolm being different with her than with Jeremy. But of course he stays Malcolm, and what would he be without lying to those close to him. Sorry it took me so long, the academic world is filled with wonderful research but that research has to be put into papers, and papers have to be finished by December. So thank you for waiting and please leave thoughts in the comments. I'll be very grateful if I'd just got some. Normally a new chapter will follow soon.

Lex

“It is but a new beginning to us, and we must see it as a chance. We can not stand still while others pass us by, we must walk on or stand firm. We can not become part of the grey void. We must stand out of the crowd and act in such way we find fitting to our believes.” Alexandria stood in front of an auditorium that was filled to the roof with people. Her people, her cabal. Many had come, form high ranked to the footmen everyone wanted to hear her speak. “We are here this day because we want to fight for what we believe. We shall defend what we believe in, even if it costs us our lives. We live in a world today that is dominated by men who think charms can pay followers. I tell you this, we will not be weak to those who will try to pamper us into so called safety. We will not fall for the sins that lure us into the trap of submissiveness. We will stand high, like we stood for ages, today my people is the day that we take our rightful place back. We will act as what we are, we are a Cabal that is strong and steady. We are a Cabal that thinks of the people and not just profit. We will not leave you to be eaten by lions. We will fight for you, as a wolf fights for its cubs. We… I will fight for you as if you were my brother. Because we are one cabal where hierarchy is important, but not worth innocent lives. We stand together, as one cabal. We are one cabal and we will fight for our rights, we are one cabal that will stand at the top again. We are one cabal!” The crowd started cheering after she spoke her last words. She never spoke words she didn’t believe in, something her father taught her firmly. The clapping grew louder as she left the stage to get to the back room. Her brothers followed her into the room where the muffled sound of the applauding people still sounded.  
Her youngest brother, James, sat down on the couch and smiled. Just like her and her twin he had golden curls, and their fathers blue eyes. His hair was long but tied back in a low ponytail. Her twin was pouring them a glass of whiskey, James was looking in anticipation but knew he would get a glass of water. Robert, her twin, gave her the glass of golden liquid and James grabbed a bottle of still water. He took a sip and looked annoyed.  
“Why do you two always get the good stuff and I, poor and unfortunate only have a plastic bottle of water?” He started whining. While examining his bottle .  
“Do you wish to lose more toes?” Robert asked angry.  
“What about your foot?” Alexandria asked, “If you want it gone I can cut it of here and now.”  
“I like my foot and the toes I have left, thank you very much.” James replied.  
“Then stop whining and use your common sense for once.” Alexandria drank her glass. James had diabetes, something they found out when he was little and nearly died after eating a cartload of chocolate. When they were teenagers James had gone out with friends and drunk to much alcohol and ate without thinking. It resulted in amputating four toes of his right foot due to his diabetes. Alexandria and Robert blamed themselves for it, because they were both out working that night. He in a plant and she as a waitress. In those days they had to take care of their own, no parents and a guardian who lost their fortune to gambling and women. They grew up and took their rightful place in the supernatural world back. But times had been different.

Oxford, February 1975.  
As a student at the university people unusually didn’t think to find you behind a bar or counter. When you were the top of your class and one of the younger ones people started noticing you. Especially when they found you behind a counter of bar serving them. This night was cold as they had been the last couple of weeks. Tonight nobody dared to come out and grab a coffee in the bar she worked. She worked here at night, not because there weren’t any other shift of because this was easy. This was the most well paid job in this bar, but also was handy to get to from her other job. She was a waitress in a high end restaurant down the street, it closed at 11pm and her shift ended then. So on her way to the one bedroom apartment she lived in with her two brothers, was this place. Her shift here was from 11:30pm till 6:30am enough time to run home take a shower, sleep a hour or so and go to class. Between classes she took naps and at nights like this when there weren’t many customers she studied. That’s how she’d done it for the past three years. And Robert did the same, at night he worked at a plant, in weekends he worked at the plant and played guard at a night club. From time to time, when classes were low he took a job extra. All this just to make sure James could study, because unlike them he had to do more than just read his notes to pass. When Lex had time to spare she helped James to pass his classes, to study for exams. They had all three chosen the same field of study, different branches, but all three were studying medicine. She looked up from her notes on foetal deformations. There he was, the guy she worked with from time to time. Her third job, something she only did once in a while. Playing assassin.  
“It’s calm tonight.” He said. He sat down at the bar and smiled. She stood up and walked towards the coffeemaker to pour him a cup. “It’s cold outside, I don’t think there will be anyone else coming by, besides me.” She put his cup down on the counter and moved her chair to sit opposite him. She was still reading her notes.  
“It’s been long, when was the last time you came by? Christmas?” She asked grabbing the cookie from his hand. He growled as she took a bite and gave it back.  
“You know if it had been anyone else stealing my food out of my hand...” He started.  
“He would hang on his guts from the ceiling.” She murmured. “You want to eat something? I have cakes, sponges and cookies. Today’s special is a banana and chocolate sponge cake.”  
“Do you even have to ask?” His blue eyes shone when she took the entire sponge out of the display and placed it between them. She took a knife and gave it to him. “So when’s the test?” He asked.  
“June.” She said. He offered her a piece, which she took. “Malcolm?”  
“Yes?” He had devoured half of the cake by now.  
“Why do you come by? There’s no need for you to come, I have no longer a connection to the Italian Pack and if you want to charm my uncle you’re at the wrong address.” He laughed.  
“Did you ever think it was because I like your company?” He said. He took her hand just before she could grab a piece of sponge. She looked up from her notes for the first time since he entered.  
“The notorious Malcolm Danvers travels to Oxford UK just because he likes my company. It bad for your reputation, you know that.” She smiled.  
“Nobody has to know. Maybe I travel to the UK to shag some foreign women and not be troubled by my pack.” She started into his eyes and felt suddenly warm and cosy. She’d known Malcolm since she was sixteen, the moment she started doing assassin jobs. He was working for her uncle from time to time, and she sought a chance to earn some money and reputation without her uncle finding out. Someone had brought them together on an assignment. Malcolm didn’t think a little girl could do it and would walk in the way. She made sure he’d never doubt her again.  
“Maybe that’s what you do. Who knows what you’ve done just before you came in. If I hear of a body found in a nearby alleyway, I’ll know who’s done it. That’s for sure.” She took a piece of the pastry and fed it to him.  
“One thing you know for sure is how to buy a man’s respect . You just have to feed him pastry.” He smiled. His thumb stroke over the top of her fine hand. He noticed how soft her skin was under his thumb.  
“You still haven’t given an answer to my question.” She said staring at their entwined hands.  
“Maybe I’m here because I thought you needed some company.” She snorted at his answer.  
“If you’re flirting with me, then you’re not doing it very well.” She pulled her hand away and stood up to grab herself something to drink. “I told you, I’m never going to date a werewolf again.”  
“I’m not some little boy who runs back to his daddy after a fight. We work Lex, maybe you can just give it a chance.” Malcolm walked over to her side of the counter.  
“You could be my father. I’m nineteen, ever thought of that.” She took a sip of her fresh cup of coffee. He stood right in front of her and smiled.  
“I always thought you must be at least forty, the way you talk and act. Way mature than the other girls I date.” He lifted her chin so she had to look at him.  
“I don’t call what you usually do dating. You pick up random drunk girls and, pardon my French, fuck them.” He laughed a laugh that filled the empty coffee bar with warmth.  
“I’m only forty-seven, dove. I’m in the prime of my life. That’s only a small twenty-eight years of age difference.” he kissed the top of her head like he did many times before.  
“It are gestures like that,” a pause, “that make me think you are just kidding. As always, you just take advantage of me because I don’t understand sarcasm.” She closed her eyes. Just before her eighteenth birthday, last year her engagement to Saviero Sorrentino had ended after a horrible fight. Malcolm had told her she was right to break it off, if he made her feel miserable he wasn’t worthy of her. Ever since he came by more often.  
“I would never take advantage of you.” His lips caressed hers softly. She opened her eyes and gave him a questioning look. She leaned towards him and kissed him. In his surprise he stiffened. After a few moment he gave himself over and kissed her back. Her arms thrown around his neck, she just snapped her fingers. The door closed and the curtains were lowered. “Magic comes in handy form time to time.” His whispered while placing her on the counter. His hands travelled under her skirt and found her cotton underwear. He kissed her neck softly, unbuttoned her shirt with one hand and let his fingers of his other hand pleasure her down bellow. A small voice in the back of her head was screaming. It screamed that she was making a mistake, a terrible dangerous mistake. That voice of reason was quickly muted by the pleasure of sex. You can say many things about Malcolm Danvers but a experienced lover is something he defiantly was.  
His hands left no part of her body untouched his mouth followed where his hands had been. When he finally entered her, it was like exploding in small pieces. With every trust she felt freer than ever before. This wasn’t her first time, but this was better than she ever imaged sex could be. Their climax came almost at the same time. She screamed out of pleasure while he bit her neck. He bit it hard, but endurable. He moaned through his teeth and finally after it all had ended his forehead toughed hers. They stood there like that for a while. He kissed her forehead again.  
“We should do this again one time.” She whispered. He laughed at those words and pulled her closer.  
“We should do this more than just one time. How are your thoughts about dating me now.” Malcolm caressed her hair.  
“I don’t think you date other girls like this.” She smiled. “And I don’t think you can stay satisfied with one woman at the time.”  
“Who said I would. I just said I would only come back to you regularly, something I don’t do with other women.” He kissed her passionately. “I have to spend time with the pack otherwise I’ll lose my rank. One day I’ll be Alpha and you’ll come and live with me at Stonehaven. You’ll be my queen.”  
“Then my king we can both take our rightful positions back.” She kissed him back.  
“One day we’ll rule the world together, I’ll have my pack and you’ll be the leader of the most powerful cabal in the world.” He promised her.  
“What about your son? You’d think he’ll accept me of try to kill me?” Malcolm had told her that Jeremy had threatened his father, Edward, into naming him his heir. Leaving Malcolm with only a monthly allowance.  
“We’ll deal with that brat as soon as we are Alpha. “ He said, she started laughing loud.  
“Are we getting a large ego? Referring to yourself as we?” She laughed. He smacked her behind.  
“I meant we, as in you and me.”He said cranky.  
“Alpha’s can’t have wives.” She mentioned the rule.  
“When I’m alpha I’ll change that, just so you can be around. Maybe then I won’t need to seek pleasures elsewhere.”


	5. Introducing Esmee

Esmee

Loud banging on the door of her bedroom made her jump up out of bed. Forgetting where she was, she bumped her foot against a bedside table making her books fall. Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness but everything stayed rather blurry.  
“Esmee!”The banging went louder and louder. “Wake up! We have a situation!” She recognized the voice. It was her lovely second cousin Bryce Nast, she thought cynical.  
“Come in, I’m looking for my glasses.” She yelled. Her toes were numb by the smash against that bloody bedside table. It was only, when Bryce turned on the lights, to see that she broke the bedside table.  
“What happened here?” Bryce asked while handing her glasses and scooping through the books that had fallen. “Seriously, Fifty Shades of Mr. Darcy?”  
She pulled her pitch black curls back with a scarf she found. When Bryce looked at her he saw her disapproval of his words in her blue eyes.  
“What is this situation you had to wake me for on this godless hour?” She sat down on her queen-sized bed en put her glasses straight. The tick glasses made it look as if she gazed through fishbowls, something she had been bullied for as a child.  
“You should wear lenses more often.” Bryce told her.  
“That’s why you woke me? To tell me I have to wear lenses.” She stood up and opened the curtains. The dark sky went over into a dark ocean at the horizon. “Look it’s not even light outside.”  
“There is a place on this world where it is light at this very moment.” Bryce threw himself on the bed and started at the ceiling.  
“You should have become a poet instead of a lawyer.” She snapped. She rolled her shoulders back to lose some tension. She hadn’t changed in more than two weeks and it was starting to show.  
“Well actually that’s what uncle Josef said when he called. We have to leave immediately; New York is waiting for us.” He sat up right and started at her back. “You okay?”  
“I haven’t changed in a while.” She admitted. “It has been to hectic these last few weeks and I forgot.”  
“How can you forget something that’s your second nature?” Bryce stood up and threw his arms around her. His chin rested on her shoulder.  
“You’ve been watching those classic werewolf films again haven’t you?” She smiled. She knew he had, because he’d been watching with her last week.  
“I think we should pack, they’re preparing the plane.” He kissed her head and left the room. She came to action. She pulled out a large trunk and filled it with clothes, not that she needed any where she went but she had become so used to the consant traveling. That it had became a second nature to pack her stuff.  
By the time their plane was in the sky the sun had come up over Los Angeles. Even now Esmee still didn’t know why they had to go to New York, she hopped it had nothing to do with her father.  
“Miss Danvers, may I offer you an early breakfast?” Asked the steward nicely. Bryce was snoring in his seat. She was getting accustomed with the frequent use of the private plane. She decided it had become bad. This was the moment, she realized, that she spend more time in a plane than in a car. She took her phone and dialed.  
“Lady McBryce’s office can I help you.” Said the secretary on the other side of the ‘line’.  
“Goodmorning Paul, can I speak with my mother please.” Esmee asked politely.  
“She’s on the phone at the moment, Miss Danvers. Can I take a message?” Paul sounded worried he couldn’t do what she wanted.  
“It’s fine Paul, I’ll wait. How are the children?” She asked. “Emily, Macy and Cory, how are they doing in school?”  
“They’re doing fine. Macy was elected head cheerleader and Emily joined the debate team last week. Just like you advised her to. I don’t know how I must thank you, after you talked to Cory he started doing his homework and now he’s trying out for the baseball team.” The way he talked about his children made Esmee smile. It had only been normal that she took an interest in their employees. Especially Paul. Paul’s wife Tabitha had been a half demon, she worked with Esmee when she got killed three years ago. Which mend leaving Paul behind with three children ready to start hitting puberty. When Paul started running late more often her Mother had noticed and had a talk with him. One of the reasons Paul was still her mother’s secretary was because of his wife’s death, and because Alexandria could trust him. When she called him on the day he’d been late again, he crashed. He told her that he couldn’t pay for his children’s school anymore so they’d gone to a school in a problem area. Macy was doing drugs, Cory stealing and dropping out of school and Emily was heading towards a depression because she tried to take care of everyone. He called himself a failure and he told Alexandria that he understood why she was going to fire him. It was that moment when Alexandria told him he wouldn’t be fired and his children would go to private school on her expense. Esmee had talked to the children, because Alexandria thought she would spook them. And apparently it had helped. Paul was only happy to talk about the changes his three children had gone trough.  
“O, you’re mother is ready to talk to you. It was good hearing you again Miss Danvers.” Paul contested her to her mother.  
“Hey mammy.” Esmee said the moment her mother took up the phone.  
“Sweetheart, is something wrong?” Alexandria asked.  
“Well, I’m on my way to New York and I don’t know why.” Esmee heard her mother laugh.  
“Sean needs advise. So you and Bryce have to spend more time with him. This situation is just a small threat from an anti-cabal organization. Sean can handle it, but I thought you and especially Bryce needed to be involved in this.” Esmee sighed.  
“That’s why I had to wake up in the middle of the night then.”  
“Actually Josef called last night, left a message on Bryce’s phone. I think he was angry because he didn’t answer so he made it sound worse than it is.” Alexandria said, in the distance Esmee could hear papers turning.  
“I’ll leave you to your business, I’ll let you know when we’ve landed.”  
“Okay sweetheart.” Alexandria paused and then said: “O, Billie is going to spend time as a legal advisor for Antonio Sorrentino. “ Esmee was astonished.  
“You have to be kidding me. That’s Nick’s father.” Esmee whispered. Billie was her sister, three years her senior. The fun fact about Billie, or Isheabail as she was named, was that she had had a ‘relationship’ with Nicolas Sorrentino. A relationship was rather overblown. They had slept together, frequently which had resulted in three little girls. All three girls were living with Billie as far away from Nick as it was possible. He knew about them, they knew him. Others knew them, his father Antonio did not.  
“I know who Antonio is. Billie owed something to Benedict, this is how she repays him. I think it’s a silly attempt to make his nephew see why he has to choose for Billie and not someone else.” Alexandria sounded disapproved.  
“Let’s hope Billie doesn’t kill him.” Esmee said worried.  
“Let’s hope.” Alexandria said just before she ended their connection.


	6. The beginning of the end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long wait. I was busy with university but I kept writing. I wasn't happy with some of the drafts I made so I did them over and over again. Which means that I have chapters lined up now. Once more I spend a lot of my time on the train so I'm writing at least four days a week. I hope people have been patient and are still reading this. O and soon you may say that you are reading the work of a real Art Historian, so keep up with me and I hope you still enjoy my little stories. (O and if there are comments please let me know) So enjoy....

Pixie

_Outskirts of Dallas, Texas. US._

“Pixie!” a scream hauled through the silent house. A plump woman hobbled through the corridor of a large mansion. “For Christ sake, Pixie where are you!” A silent laughter sounded. It made the woman’s face look like an exploded tomato. “DO I HAVE TO INFORM YOUR MOTHER!” She screamed hysterically. Even louder laughter filled the house. “Why did I have to take this job.” She murmured to herself, “You couldn’t just have become a secretary, could you.” She whispered hard to herself while opening every door she passed. “No! You had to take this job. Thank you mother!” She pulled open a door harshly and entered. The room was dark and dusty, like many rooms in this house. It had been years since someone of the family had been here. The servants were cleaning as fast as they could, but it still wasn’t half done after a month. No, that did not stop the family of dropping some of the children here in the meantime.

“ _Being a nanny will be nice, you can play with the kids and have a lot of spare time.”_ The plump woman said in a high pitched voice. She opened a curtain that let in the afternoon’s sunlight. She combed her short brown hair back with her fingers and took a deep breath. As a lower classed telekinetic halfdemon, a migro, she hadn’t had many jobs to choose from. Let alone that her powers were so weak and useless after an incident she couldn’t even put out a light switch or move a glass.

“Pixie Charlotte Danvers! Will you please come out.” She pleaded. ‘ _Don’t blame yourself, Dot. She’s a inapplicable child.”_

“O c’mon, Dotty.” A tall young girl jumped down from the large fireplace mantel. Apparently she’d been hiding between the statues that filled the gigantic space between the mantel and the ceiling. “It was just a game, you look as if you nearly died.” Pixie came closer and stood in the sunlight. “It’s a beautiful day, why can’t we go outside?” Pixie was at least a head taller than Dot. Her long red hair fell over her waist in thick curls. Her dashing blue eyes were filled with mischief, but also with longing. Longing to be outside Dot knew. At age sixteen Pixie Danvers was already on her way to be as stunning as her elder sisters. Her high cheekbones and rather specific form of cheeks showed her ancestors like no other. Many people would swear she looked just like her mother, but when you place Pixie next to her father there could be no doubt of parentage. Malcolm Danvers was most definitely this girl’s father. Where her sisters could and her brothers tried to hide it, Pixie was the one where people never had to look twice to know who she was.

Her slender figure moved in closer to Dot. Before Dot knew it, Pixie had wrapped her arms around her and put her head to rest on top of Dot’s head. Dot held her breath. Pixie could pass as an Olympic athlete with the amount of muscles she had.

“Can’t we go for a walk, Dotty?” Pixie asked calm. A soft sigh left her gentle lips. Dot still wasn’t sure how to react to this girl. She had been doing this job for a few months now and still she feared the child she had to take care of. _Man yourself, Dot!_ She warned herself in her head. _‘It’s just a girl, those stories are what they are. Just stories.’_

“You know you can’t go outside on your own.” Dotty said with a tremble in her voice.

“I was going to say: ‘But I’m with you’. But I know I will only make it harder for you. I’m sorry Dotty.” Pixie let go of Dot and started walking towards the door. Dot let out a soft sigh of relief. As Pixie heard it she turned around.

“Are you afraid of me, Dotty?” Pixie asked. Her voice sounded as if she was afraid of the answer but knew it anyway.

“I….I- Miss Pixie I…..” Dot hesitated and couldn’t find the right words.

“Of course she’s not afraid of you, Pix.” A tall young man showed up in the doorway. His eyes in concern focused on the nanny. “Dotty is just overworked, running after you all the time. Even I would be tired of spending every day with you.” He put the back of his hand theatrical on his forehead. Mael Collum Danvers, also known to his father as Junior. Even so that his name is written and pronounced differently. Mally, like they call him, was over 1.93 meters tall. Taller than most, but only slightly taller than his older brother Maximilan. But unlike his brother, Mally had a slender build. Small hips, long legs, muscular chest, a charming smile and those bright blue eyes. His eyes were an inheritance of his father. Some would say that Mally resembled Jeremy Danvers most. But then again they were brothers so that’s perfectly normal. 

“C’mon we’re going for a walk. Dotty can have the day off.” Mally put his arm around Pixie’s shoulders and escorted her outside. Dotty was left in the empty room only with her relief. Then she heard a hard bang. Before she had even turned to look at the window where the noise had come from everything went black.

 

Billie 

_Marseille, France. Europe._

‘ _Time flies by when you’re busy_.’ Billie thought when she was watching her children play in the garden. The sun touched the green Mediterranean garden with its golden gleam. Everything looked so peaceful and idyllic.  The waves rolling gently against the coast, the smell of olives hanging from the trees, it all looked too good to be true. It had been a very dramatic few years. First she went working for Antonio Sorrentino, as a favour to Benedict Sorrentino. It was shortly after she had discovered that she was pregnant. Antonio had liked her, he had been very personal  almost father like with her. He had noticed she was pregnant and made sure she had every comfort she needed.  He had seen her grown. He had even asked how the babies were afterwards. The only thing he didn’t know is that the babies she had carried at that time were his grandsons. The result of her last encounter with Nick. Not that it mattered now, she hadn’t spoken to him for over three years. Sometimes she convinced herself that it had nothing to do with his new relationship. But in fact that was the main reason she banned him from her life. That and the fact that he had been hunting her father at that time.

It hadn’t been enough that the ‘relationship’ she had with Nick was over and she was pregnant. No, it was around the same time that Keith Tynes decided he wanted a suitable mate. Not just any mate, he wanted her. Because what would better suit an alpha than a full bred female werewolf. In fact the female part of their species was rare, well rare. It had been rare. Billie was until this day the eldest known female hereditary werewolf. Not that she minded it, but with only being twenty-eight it meant that there weren’t much other females of her kind. At this moment the known females were mostly related to each other. Her mother, four sisters, six cousins, two aunts and Elena Michaels, alpha of the North-American pack, and her daughter Katherine. These last were only related to her by her brother Jeremy, who functioned as father-in-law and sort of grandfather.

So Keith Tynes wanted a mate that was full bred werewolf. And he wanted her. After years of refusing him, and the fact that he was together with Daniella Wright, he was sick of it. So he decided if he couldn’t get her, nobody could. It took ten Aussies to ambush her. Of those ten only four survived, but that didn’t mean that she had gotten out unharmed. Most of her bones on her left side had been broken. Including her pelvis. Something you didn’t need when you were heavily pregnant. It had been nearly four years now and she healed well. Only her knee sometimes annoyed her due to the lack of flexibility. But she was alive, her boys were alive and she had taken revenge a couple of months back. To say it short, Keith’s reproductive system was down with 50%. Or like her father laughed, she cracked half of his nuts.

 

Today she could relax. It was a lovely day; she was staying in a well guarded house. Or well mansion. This meant she was safe. Her children were safe. All five of them were her five little mistakes. The three lovely girls and two little boys were sitting near where the beach started. The boys were playing with the grass and the girls were building a sandcastle. Or at least the two youngest were. Her eldest daughter, Rosalie, was staring at the sea. At the age of eight Rosalie was to mature, when she spoke to people, that weren’t familiar with her or her family, they were shocked that an eight year old could contradict their ideas. Rosalie had inherited her brain, something that was quiet clear. Nick wasn’t stupid, but Billie had by the age of twenty-eight a small arsenal of PHD’s. Six was her currant number. To much according to her twin-brother, but fine enough for her. At age sixteen she had been working on her first PHD. Which was odd and against standards. Not that it mattered; she had a good life and had a good growing career.

Rosalie looked like a Sorrentino. She had long wavy dark hair and dark eyes. Her smooth olive skin and rather tall posture gave away more of her parentage than might be good for her. Sometimes Billie wondered if it had been a good idea to keep the children away from their father. And every time she assured herself that it had been the best way of raising them. Even now while Rosalie, at the age of eight, clearly needed a father figure in her life. One day Rosalie might look more like her father than she imaged. She was a Sorrentino and a Danvers in one, but those Sorrentino looks might make her a heartbreaker.

Tzei looked just like Billie. Golden curls, bright green eyes and a milky white skin. Tzei, short for Elisabeth Tzeitel, was two years younger than Rosalie. Her looks  she got from her mother, her character from her father. She may look the least like Nick but the moment she opened her mouth there was no mystery left.  Tzei made up for Rosalie’s silence by her openly social character and loud outburst. Lily, the youngest of the three girls, was five had those Sorrentino looks. Was a silent follower that still had to bloom. At five Lily had trust issues, mostly because she had been least in contact with her father and felt abandoned. The boys didn’t show any signs of stress caused by a missing father figure. They were three, identical twin boys and according to Jeremy spitting images of their father. Alexander and Endymion were born after she broke of all contact with Nick. He had a new life, he had a permanent girlfriend now. Vanessa Callas, was mercenary working for Rhys Smith. One of the reasons she stayed away from them. Nick disserved to be happy and if that meant with someone else, so be it. She wouldn’t admit to other that it hurt her to know he loved another, but it did.  In her own strange way she loved him, they had this connection. He was her one and only, and now that was over. Her father said it was for the better, but it still felt strange to know she couldn’t meet with him. She even wondered if he knew how precious those stolen moments were. One thing she knew, that was that Nick had a life beside those moments. He met other people, he slept with other people, he never admitted that they had something more than a platonic relationship. Platonic with side effects, the children. He only knew of the girls, and she kept it that way. For now.


	7. Captured

Lex

Blood, blood everywhere. Everything was red from the first moment she opened her eyes. She was disorientated, the smells around her were strange. Concrete, steal and blood were wrapped around her as an uncomfortable blanket.  She wasn’t the type to feel nauseous by the smell of blood. Something was wrong. She sat up straight and looked around her. Her hands touched the concrete floor, it felt warm. A frown formed on her brow; Concrete shouldn’t feel warm. Not when everything around her felt chilled like a fridge. ‘ _Common Lex, get a grip’_ she told herself. She stood up, her legs didn’t feel numb. She felt alive, she felt vivid.  The smell of blood kept growing stronger; the room wasn’t big and looked like a cell. It was then when she saw it. This was that cell. The compound she’d been taken with Eve. Where was Eve? Where was Savannah? Why was she here? Who took her here? A loud bang sounded behind the steel door. It was then, when she turned to the door that she saw where the blood came from. The man looked like a guard, a full armed guard. His machinegun was still aimed. When she looked at what the gun was pointing she saw a bullet hole.

She knew this was a compound. But the last thing she remembered was eating Sundays with Eve and Savannah in that cheesy milk bar. Something was wrong, but what?

With another bang her door flew open. A slender figure with long dark hair appeared. Eve. “C’mon Lex!” She said and started running. Without thinking she ran after her. As if in a flash they were outside, it smelt like a wood and looked like a wood. Still disorientated she gazed as Eve ran between the trees. Her instinct told her to run, to follow, to protect Eve. She ran faster than Eve but stayed with her. An other bang. Eve fell.

“Eve, stand up.” Lex took her arm and dragged her along. Eve was shot. Her leg was seriously bleeding. Dogs were barking nearby, guard dogs went crazy around her. It was the smell, to them she was a threat that had to be fought.  The look Eve gave her said enough. She knew why the dogs sounded so angry. 

“Lex, go!” She whispered. “I’m holding you up; you have a better chance to get out of here.”

“I’m not leaving you behind. Please Eve lean on me. We can get out of here together.” Lex said while looking around. She heard people closing in, the dogs getting more aggressive with every bark.

They went on, slower. Way to slow. The dogs nearly got up with them. When another shot rang. Eve fell limp against her.

“Lex?” Eve coughed, “Please take care of Savannah.” She coughed up blood. “Come back for her.” Eve’s eyes lost their gleam. “You’re my best friend.” were her last words. She couldn’t leave her body behind. She threw the lifeless body of her friend over her shoulder and started running. She smelt water, a stream. It took her only a few minutes to find it and jump over it. Shots rang around her ears. The dogs were closing in.  Her leap to freedom came as she jumped on the road and ran to the other side. The sounds went numb. A cracked voice called the hunters back over a walkie-talkie. It was only then that she looked at her friend. Eve laying there lifeless. Dark eyes staring into the void. Her face white and drained from all blood. Dark marks on her shirt showed the bullet holes.

It was then when she realised Eve was dead, for real. She had seen death, lived with it since a young age. But this took her back to the day her parents were killed. Only this wasn’t her mother or father. Not even her brother. This was a witch, the exact creature she had despised most of her life. But this was Eve. Eve Levine, the girl who showed her that not all witches were evil, that not all witches tried to kill her. This was Eve a girl she called her friend, her best friend. The girl she could be a girl with, who she could trust and be silly with. Eve was rare in her life, and now she was gone. Dead, because of her. Tears rolled over her cheeks. The tears made their way to her chin through the dirt and blood. She sat there, no idea how long. But when her brother stood in front of her she felt numb, as if every feeling had been drained from her body.

“Lex!” That familiar voice sounded warm. It was as if everything else was unreal. A brisk touch on her shoulder shook her out of her numbness. Her eyes flew open. It took her a few minutes to get where she was; The sunlight, the antique furniture, the olive skinned man. It all fell into place. She was home, in her bed. It had all been a nightmare. Only the nightmare had been real, once.

“You were shaking. Nightmare, I presume.” Saviero gave her a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

“Yes, the compound dream again.” Lex told him.  She took a sip, the warm liquid finding its way down her throat made her feel real. It gave her a sense of reality again. That and Saviero had been married to a witch once so he must have dropped some herbs in the chocolate.

“We should go for a ride.” He told her taking her cup back. “Maybe visiting Eve’s grave would do you good.”

“Maybe.” She came out of bed and went into the bathroom.

 

The drive was long and pleasantly warm. She sat on the back of the Vespa as Saviero took the bike through the golden Louisianan fields. Eve may not have originated from Louisiana it was the place where her body had been put to rest. A well kept secret, only a few people knew. Not even Bryce or Sean knew. It were the people Eve had trusted her daughter to, the people who had failed her, that gave her a sanctuary. As Saviero stopped at the gate and parked his bike near some cars she realised she had to get off. Saviero took off his helmet and took hers to lock them on the bike. They walked over the well paved path towards the trees in silence. It was a pretty cemetery, like many were these days. Open and green, unlike the cemeteries Lex was used to in the UK.

As they arrived at the grave Saviero held her hand. The white marble statue showed an angel with a big sword, no name to indicate whose grave this was.  If you knew what Eve had become in the afterlife you knew that this was her spitting image. This tomb was just something to remember the physical world of Eve Levine’s existence, but only to those who knew it was here. And something Lex needed after she was unable to save Savannah from the Cortez’.

“I’m sorry that I failed you, Eve.” Lex whispered. Saviero took her in his arms and kissed her head.

“You didn’t fail Eve.” He said. “We were unable to save Savannah and she was better off with a witch than with us.” It were those words that gave Lex that bit of reassurance she needed to get trough yet another day.

 

 


	8. Once upon a time in Paris

Billie

The scent of fresh snow filled Billie’s nose. She loved the white plains of Alaska in the morning. Fresh snow on the patio with fresh prints. She gazed at the grey sky in anticipation. Snow would fall again soon. But now she could just stand outside, bare feet in the snow with a woolen blanket around her shoulders. She just pulled her sleeveless dress back on after a well deserved run. The change was not entirely painless but she coped. She was used to changing into wolf form once a week since she was nine. The fact that her mother used IVF and did research on genetic modification also helped to ease the pain. Well the modification made sure the pain was less severe.

Her long hair was wet from rolling in the snow and hung in treads around her shoulders. She heard the small thumbs of footsteps coming towards the open door. She closed her eyes to concentrate better. It was then that she heard it were two pair of small feet sneaking up on her.

“Mommy.” Said a little squeaky voice behind her. “Can I come outside?” With that question she knew who she was listening to. Alexander was the calm and gentle one. Endymion would have stormed out without asking if his brother hadn’t told him to wait. Her little boys.

“If you have shoes on you can come outside.” She answered softly. They were three years old now, her little twin. They were the third generation of twins on her mother’s side of the family. Rare but not unnecessarily strange or shocking due to science. She heard them run towards their snow boots and pull them on softly bickering about the fact they should have put them on already.  

They were identical to one another. They had both that dark wavy hair of a Sorrentino and those dark hypnotizing eyes. If Nick only knew, the reaction he’d have would always raise question marks.  That’s why she hid them from him.

 

She remembered the day she met him. She’d been seventeen, nearly eighteen. She always wore clothes and make-up that made her look older, so she passed for at least twenty-something and nobody made a big deal about the fact that she was living on her own. She came out of the Louvre after a full day of studying ancient runes. On her way to her apartment she stopped to get coffee, her small addiction that was still present on this day. On the moment she came out of the bar she bumped into a tall blond woman. Coffee was spilled everywhere, her beige cashmere coat was soaked. But what bothered her most was the scream the blond bimbo gave. She whimpered about her new Prada shoes and Gucci purse. While the woman nearly sobbed, Billie was checking her notes. Luckily they were undamaged. It was only then she got a whiff of his scent. He stood behind the woman with a smirk on his face. A werewolf with a very familiar smell. It took her only seconds to figure out who it was. This guy was way to young to be Antonio Sorrentino so this was no other than Nicholas.

“How could you! Idiot French!” She shrieked. Billie had to hold herself back from rolling her eyes. “This is what I told you would happen if we came to Paris! The French have no sense of fashion, let alone that they would be careful around real people like me!” Luckily for the woman many of the French who were in the café were way too stubborn to learn English.

“Calm down Chelsea, the girl clearly doesn’t speak English.” With a sound of disapproval she walked out of the café followed by the werewolf. Billie turned around and ordered a new coffee. The lady behind the counter looked at her as if she was sorry for the bimbo. “C’est bien.” Billie whispered and paid for her second coffee.

On her way out she saw the woman nearly crying about the stain on her coat. Billie moaned, they were in her way. She had to pass by them to get to the apartment. She was already thinking of other routes when Nick saw her. The moment of eyecontact made her feet move without hesitation. It was as if she needed to show she wasn’t afraid of confrontation. That she was better than this Chelsea.

“Look at that idiot French girl, they only think of themselves.” She whimpered. Nick shushed her. The look Chelsea gave Billie was hostile, nearly demonic.

“Paris is the fashion capital of the world, Chelsea. Someone like you ought to know.” Billie said in her oxford English as she passed by. It could have been the word, or the fact that Billie didn’t even look at her that made Chelsea shriek.

Billie smirked as she heard the notorious playboy Nicholas Sorrentino trying to calm his hookup down.

She was still smirking when she entered the apartment. She felt light in her head and strangely happy. She threw her cup in the trash and started raiding the fridge when a knock came from the door. She opened it and looked up in shock. First she never opened the door without checking who was standing in front of it. Second it was Nicholas Sorrentino standing there. It was the first time she’d let down her guard, and why? Because he had looked at her?

“I’m sorry for my date’s behavior.” He started, “I know this must be awkward but I wanted to apologize. I’m Nick.” He went on and gave her a killer smile.

“I know.” Was the only thing coming from her lips. His eyes revealed a small backlash. “I know who you are, you don’t have to apologize for sleeping with that kind of woman.” Still standing in the doorway he stared down at Billie. She was at least two head shorter even on her heals.

“Can I come in?” He asked calm. She made way so he could pass. Within seconds she knew she’d done it again. She’d let her guard down.

“Please make yourself comfortable.” She said sarcastic. As if he hadn’t heard her tone, he sat down on her couch.  “I thought Pack wolves didn’t go in the house of someone who knows what or who they are.” Billie resumed as she went back into her kitchen. She was starving and he wasn’t going to stop her from eating.

“I should ask who the hell you are, ain’t I ?” He said now standing in the door of the kitchen. Her apartment was bigger than most in the area but still not the size of a penthouse in NY so she must have heard him walking. She loved the classic architecture of the building, the smells and sounds of the city coming though the open windows. And the beautiful balcony filled with flowers that made her apartment the perfect idyllic Parisian home.

“Yes  you should, so why don’t you.” Billie said pulling delicious smelling chicken from its bone. She put some of the white meat in her mouth and felt her stomach calm after nearly a day of starvation.

“Who are you?” Nick asked staring at the food she was preparing. The size of the bowl she took from the shelf and amount of food told him she didn’t live on her own.

“Billie, pleasure. Want some?” She asked pointing at the food. He nodded.

“So, Billie. How do you know who I am?” Nick asked while fishing chicken out of the bowl. Normally he would have jumped and called Elena if a stranger knew him. He shouldn’t sit down and share food with that person, but something drew him to her. Was it the way she looked, walked or talked. He couldn’t place it, he just knew that the moment he saw her was strange. He felt drawn to her and had this strange sad feeling when he had to go after Chelsea instead of talking to her. It was only after he ditched Chelsea and found her trail he was at ease again. She smelt of flowers, candy and coffee. He never noticed the smell of a woman before. He noticed everything about her. He noticed her green eyes with a hint of bleu around the iris and sparkles of gold. Her golden curls tied back with a scarf and her perfectly formed full lips.

“Your reputation precedes you.” She started laughing when he gave her a doubtful look. She never laughed in the company of strangers, and look at her now. Acting like a teenage groupie, head over heels for this guy. “Sorry, I know who you are because I know your uncle. He speaks about you from time to time. My father was a friend of his before he died.” That last part was a lie. Her father, Malcolm Danvers was still alive and friendship is not something he shared with Benedict Sorrentino.

“O, so you’re a…” Nick started, “I’m a werewolf’s daughter, yes.” Billie completed. Again she was not telling the complete truth. She was the daughter of two werewolves and one herself. Luckily she was also a hybrid thanks to her mother, which meant hiding her scent was easy.

“Figures…” He said. They continued talking, just small talk. About what she was doing there, her coffee addiction, the apartment, his uncle,…. It was the first time in her life Billie ever forgot about the world around her. It was only because Nick noticed the clock on the oven indicating it was  4 am that he had to excuse him for keeping her up all night. After he left she felt empty and alone. Things she never felt, but then again she had never felt drawn to someone like this either. It was as if some cord had tied them together.


End file.
